REVIEW: 'James Bond: Agent of Spectre' #1 by Christos Cage, Luca Casalanguida, and Heather Moore

AGENT OF SPECTRE Part 1! There's a civil war brewing within SPECTRE. An upstart American member of the international criminal organization is attempting a coup, threatening to depose Ernst Stavro Blofeld. She's on guard against Blofeld's men, so to take her out, Blofeld recruits a wild card - James Bond! 

With Blofeld threatening the life of Bond's friend Felix Leiter as leverage, Bond agrees...but he has a plan to use this internal strife to bring SPECTRE down once and for all. Will he succeed, or is this a dark path from which even 007 can't return?

JAMES BOND: AGENT OF SPECTRE #1

Writer: Christos Cage

Artist: Luca Casalanguida

Colors: Heather Moore

Letters: Simon Bowland

Editor: Matt Idelson

Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment

Release Date: March 3, 2021

Cover Price: $3.99

Score:

★★★★☆ (4/5)

While the movie franchise of James Bond may be on hold due to the pandemic, Dynamite Entertainment is coming through with some classic 007 action in comic book form. The requisite opening action scene finds Bond in deep water but also reveals some important intel nonetheless. 

Yes, the title and solicitation kind of give away the premise the first issue sets in motion but it's so smoothly conceived that you won't mind going through the details to find out more. Christos Cage introduces us to an older but resilient Bond who's about to be in the middle of a Spectre civil war. It's not of his choosing because the classic villain Blofeld, imposing and dangerous, literally makes him an offer he can't refuse. With so much at stake, it's wild to imagine Bond working for Spectre but it's the perfect set-up for a potentially dramatic globe-trotting adventure. 

Blofeld steals the issue with such a convincing and conniving monologue that corners Bond into a seemingly inescapable compromise. As much as you love to hate Bond villains, you'll find yourself actually agreeing with Blofeld's reasoning. It's framed as a win-win for both of them. Bond eliminates a threat to both Blofeld and MI-6. What could go wrong?

And speaking of classic, Luca Casalanguida and Heather Moore, create a world that feels timeless with tough guy designs and muted colours. It could be almost any time period and that helps transport the reader fully into the story. The action scenes are well choreographed albeit short but again, Blofeld is made to look and sound menacing and it totally works to give the proceedings the weight it requires. 

'James Bond: Agent of Spectre' #1 is the perfect appetizer for Bond fans as they wait for the next film. They can feast on this beautifully written and illustrated new series that's lean and mean. It sets the table for some intriguing spy action to come.